No, you are not alone! My life is very similar to yours! I have a 7 year old who’s dad is not in the picture, a full time job, and a start-up website business (http://www.cool-kids-places.com/), that I attend to after my son goes to sleep at 9:00pm!

As one crazy-schedule-mom to another, I have a few suggestions that have worked for me:

- I skip the “cooked breakfast” - I get something quick for both of us like a bagel or muffins and we eat in the car on our way to his school;

- I don’t wear any clothes that need ironing during the week, I buy the stuff that doesn’t need any ironing;

- Give my son “lunchables” for lunch or something else “ready to eat” on days that he doesn’t want to have the school cafeteria lunch;

- I drop him off at soccer and then go to the gas station or pick up a few quick things from the market;

- I pick up some cooked food from the market or Chinese on days that we get home late.

Hope that helps!

I am requesting your help with this matter. Child support Enforcement of Maryland started charging custodial parents a 25 dollar annual fee. Joe Jackins executive director gave a statement to The House Appropriations Committee of Maryland in Feb 2007 laying out his decision to charge the custodial parents this annual fee. He laid out all of the different options the federal government gave him on page thirteen of his statement. He has chosen this option knowing full well his agreement with the custodial parents which is a one- time $25 fee, yet never mentions this in his statement. The Department of Human Resources of Maryland Child Support’s website still to this day advertises their services for this one- time $25 fee. It reads as follows:

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How do I apply for child support services?
A. A. If you receive Temporary Cash Assistance or Medical Assistance, child support services will be provided free of charge. If not, you will need to complete an application for child support services with your local child support enforcement office and pay a one-time fee of $25 when you file your application. To have an application mailed to you or for further information, please contact the local child support enforcement office in your area, or telephone the Child Support Enforcement Administration at 1-800-332-6347.
Open a Child Support Case

Mr. Jackins explained to me that this was the easiest way for him to collect the money. Mr. Jackins could have chosen to bill the non- custodial parents which would have upheld the department’s mission statement which says that they will do what is in the best interest of the children. This must be corrected now. The fact that Mr. Jackins withheld this very important information from his statement and the Committee as well as not upholding the Departments mission statement is grounds for termination of employment. The fee that has been charged to the custodial parents must be returned ASAP and stop any future deductions from child support received by custodial parents for the care and support of the children of Maryland.

Thank you for your time,
Scott Frantz